SUCCESS WITH ALL ELECTRONIC TOLLING AT THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE

Wednesday, March 27, 2013, marked the start of all electronic tolling on the Golden Gate Bridge, and toll-paying customers are doing what Golden Gate Bridge officials had anticipated – they are not stopping at the Toll Plaza and FasTrak and Pay-By-Plate use are in full swing.

DAY ONE: MARCH 27

During the morning commute, we did experience some drivers being a little heavy-footed by exceeding the newly posted 25 MPH as they sailed through the Toll Plaza. From midday through the evening, we were witnessing similar behaviors that we have witnessed since the start of FasTrak in 2000 when we established the FasTrak ONLY toll lanes on the far left side of the Toll Plaza — on occasion, when motorists find themselves in a FasTrak Only toll lane by mistake, they will stop their cars, they will get out of their cars, or they will back their cars up. Now that these behaviors are occurring in all 11 toll lanes (not just in the FasTrak ONLY toll lanes), they are more obvious to observers who never noticed them before.

We had staff available doing two primary outreach tasks: (1) When motorists did stop in a toll lane, using the loud speaker system that broadcasts to the Toll Plaza, they were told to keep moving and that they would receive a bill in the mail. Staff assisted more than 70 motorists during the afternoon into the evening; and (2) From about 7 am to 7 pm, in the adjacent parking lot south of the Toll Plaza, staff members were distributing information to motorists who pulled off to ask questions. Staff spoke to about 40 motorists.

DAY TWO: MARCH 28

During the morning commute, speeds were considerably lower and more consistently in line with the new 25 MPH required through the Toll Plaza. As of 2:10 pm, 15 customers were spoken to using the loud speaker system.

THIS WEEKEND MARCH 30 & 31 THROUGH MONDAY, APRIL 1

With the Easter weekend followed by the observance of Cesar Chavez Day on Monday, CHP will continue to monitor speeds through the Toll Plaza and we will continue to assist customers using the loud speaker system and on-site staff.